Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a cellular telephone that includes a first step, executed in response to input from a user, of disabling the cellular telephone from receiving cellular telephone calls. A second step then periodically enables the cellular telephone to receive, store and display user-related messages from a network control channel. In one embodiment the step of disabling includes a step of de-registering the cellular telephone from the network, and the step of periodically enabling includes an initial step of re-registering the cellular telephone with the network. The step of disabling may include a step of reducing the power consumption of the cellular telephone. In accordance with a further aspect of this invention the step of periodically enabling includes an initial step of requesting the network to assign the cellular telephone to a predetermined paging frame class that insures that the cellular telephone will receive a paging message from the network every n seconds.

Abstract: A cellular telecommunications system includes at least one base station and at least one user terminal that is bidirectionally coupled to the at least one base station through an RF interface. The system further includes system circuitry for composing messages and transmitting composed messages continuously over a forward RF link to the at least one user terminal. The messages include filler messages and other messages, and the circuitry composes the messages for specifying in a transmitted message a number of filler messages that will be consecutively transmitted. The user terminal includes a receiver for receiving messages from the forward RF link and circuitry for determining a number of consecutive filler messages that will be transmitted. The user terminal further includes a controller that is responsive to a received message for placing the user terminal in a powered-down state for a period of time that is a function of the number of consecutive filler messages.

Abstract: This invention provides a method, and apparatus for performing the method, for reducing the power consumption of a radiotelephone. The method includes the steps of (a) receiving with a receiver of a radiotelephone at least a Word Synchronization pattern from a frame that is transmitted over a control channel; (b) receiving a first repeat of a control message that follows the Word Synchronization pattern within the frame; and (c) determining if the first repeat was correctly received. If the first repeat was correctly received, the method includes a further step of (d) determining if at least one reception-related criteria is met. If the reception-related criteria is determined to be met, the method includes a further step of (e) selectively removing operating power from one or more portions of the radiotelephone receiver for a predetermined time period during a remainder of the frame.

Abstract: The inventive data decoding system provides 3/5 voting on data blocks (1 . . . 11) received in a frame. A counter circuit of the system counts the bits in the data blocks and raises a repeat flag (RFLAG) at the end of each data block. The RFLAG signal causes an interrupt in a controlling processor, enabling the processor to monitor and control the receiving synchronism. The inventive procedure can be used on Forward Control Channel (FOCC) and Forward Voice Channel (FVC) channels in the Total Access Communication System (TACS) or the Advanced Mobile Phone Services (AMPS) mobile phone systems.

Abstract: Apparatus operable with different cellular telephone systems and signalling protocols is described. Signalling messages, both data messages and supervisory related signals between a cellular telephone microcontroller (4) and a base station are transferred via a baseband signalling circuit (10). The baseband signalling circuit is operable to employ different signalling protocols, the protocol being selected by control bits provided from the microcontroller to the signalling circuit. In a preferred embodiment, the signalling protocol selection is made between an AMPS/TACS signalling protocol and a NAMPS/NTACS subaudible signalling protocol.

Abstract: A signal generator includes a frequency divider having an input node for receiving a first signal having a first frequency f.sub.1 and a single output node for outputting a second signal having a second frequency f.sub.2, wherein a ratio f.sub.1 /f.sub.2 is equal to an odd number that is equal to or greater than three. A synchronous delay circuit has an input node coupled to the single output node of the frequency divider and an output node for outputting a third signal that is delayed in time with respect to the second signal by an amount that is a function of a period of the first signal. Logic is provided having a first input node coupled to the single output node of the frequency divider and a second input node coupled to the output node of the delay circuit. The logic has an output node for outputting a fourth signal having the second frequency f.sub.2 and a 50% duty cycle.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for a mobile telephone comprises a microprocessor responsive to a clock signal for controlling its functions, and a signalling circuit, e.g. a modem which is coupled to the microprocessor to provide an output clock signal thereto. In the idle states of the processor, the output clock signal is stopped, using a stop signal from the microprocessor. This gives use to reduce power consumption and a consequential increase in battery life.

Abstract: A receiver synchronization control in signalling messages in TACS/AMPS system in a mobile phone is disclosed. In order to avoid unnecessary setting of hunt mode operation, if the received synchronization pattern is not congruent with the correct reference pattern, the received pattern is checked in a bit-by-bit manner so as to reveal occasional bit errors of one or two bits, which may appear although the receiver is in synchronization. A further check may be conducted by shifting a reference pattern mask by one or at the most two bits in either direction, whereafter rechecking to reveal either fully correct pattern or rechecking for only one or two bits error can be performed.